I slipped out of my pajamas and put on my boyfriend jeans. Without bothering to tie my hair or even properly brush them, I flew out of the house and took the subway.

Surprisingly, Mr. Rhodes was kind enough to grant me a day off because according to him I apparently deserved one since I had given my best at our visit to Paris.

I mean hey, it's not like I was complaining. I just couldn't get my head around the fact that Mr. Rhodes actually had emotions when it came to his employees.

I shoved my hands in my jeans as I entered the hospital and smiled at the receptionist who was used to seeing me coming here almost everyday. I made my way to dad's room when I saw Zach sitting outside on the chair, using his phone.

I walked over to him and he lifted his head up, saw me and smiled.

"Belle, you're back," he hugged me and kissed the crown of my head and I snuggled in his hard chest.

"I am. How's papa?" I asked as he released me from his bone crushing hug.

"He's stable. Go meet him yourself," he nodded his head towards the room and I smiled and made my way towards it.

I stepped in the room and saw him flipping through the pages of an old album.

"Sweetie, you're back," he exclaimed and sat up as I approached him and hugged him as if my life depended on it.

"I missed you," I stated and felt his body vibrate against mine in a light chuckle.

"I've missed you too, Belle," he kissed my forehead and I rested my head on his shoulder and laid down beside him.

"So how was Paris?" he asked after a moment of comfortable silence.

"Urgh would've been better if I had good company," I rolled my eyes and took the album from his hands.

"You were there with your boss. What did you expect?" he stated and laughed.

"Yeah but still. Hey is that you?" I asked and sat up as I saw the picture of a very handsome man wearing shades and long boots, standing in front of the McDonalds. Papa looked in his teenage years.

"Ah yes. That would be me," he laughed and started telling me about the history of each picture and I kept smiling and nodding my head while laying down on his chest.

"I brought burgers," Zach entered the room and I rolled my eyes and sat up.

"Papa is not allowed to eat that, dumbass," I narrowed my eyes at him and he sat down on the chair beside the bed.

"Who said they were for him?" he asked and took a huge bit of the burger as I laughed and papa muttered something under his breath along the lines of 'you're paying for that one'.

It was my off from office and luckily Zach was free too so the three of us spent the whole day together, talking about old times and childhood stories that mostly ended up being about something embarrassing that I had done.

"Look at this one, remember Belle when we kicked this guy's ass on annual function right before he had to perform on the stage just because he wouldn't stop babbling about his father being the head of the choir?" Zach threw his head back and laughed and I nodded while laughing along with him.

It felt good. Just sitting with the two most important people of my life and simply talking about stuff that didn't even matter, just for old times sake.

The thing was, I had them beside me and I knew no matter how bad I screwed up, they'd still always be there for me.

***************

"So you're telling me that nothing happened?" he rubbed his eyes and looked at me as if I were the most boring person earth had ever seen.

"Yes Zach, is it that hard to believe?" I asked him while putting the clothes back in my closet.

"You were with one of the most hottest guys of the country, oh scratch that, the fucking continent and you're telling me that absolutely nothing happened and expecting me to believe that? Oh hell nahh."

"Zachary Martin, I was there for a business trip, not on my honeymoon, okay? So believe me when I say that nothing out of ordinary happened," I smiled at him and he rolled his eyes and leaned back on the headrest of my bed.

Zach was hell bent on getting the details out of me about something that didn't happen. I hadn't told him about the necklace because knowing him, he would probably make a big deal out of it and let's just say that it wasn't healthy for me at all.

So I kept it a secret. The less he knew, the few assumptions he would make.

************

Sasha came up to me and I smiled as I handed the papers over to another employee and turned towards her.

"Hi Belle. Been quiet busy lately?" she wiggled her eyebrows and I shook my head in disappointment.

"Oh please, not you too," I rolled my eyes and started walking towards the cafeteria.

"What? I was just stating the truth seeing as you were the first employee that Mr. Rhodes had ever taken with himself to a business trip."

"For real?" I asked. I was expecting anything but what she said right now.

"Yep. Apart from Mr. Kingston of course, no one usually accompanies him," she stated in a matter of factly tone and I couldn't help but feel a little weird and....smug about it?

Oh boy, I needed some serious help.

***********